Two major crypto CEOs agree: the crypto winter is over

According to two prominent names from the crypto world, the crypto winter is now behind us. Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley and MetaMask CEO Joseph Lubin are remarkably positive about the outlook for the market.

Horsley states that many sellers have now left the market after the bear market that started at the end of last year. As a result, according to him, a large part of the potential sales pressure has already disappeared from the system.

At the same time, he sees more and more fundamental strength.

Horsley points out, among other things, the growing role of institutional parties, higher usage figures for crypto platforms and stronger sales development within the sector. According to him, access to crypto is also better than ever.

ETFs and ETPs now make it much easier for investors to gain exposure to Bitcoin (BTC) and other digital assets. That combination of fewer sellers, stronger foundations, and wider access is what Horsley calls attractive.

He even expects Bitcoin to potentially reach an all-time high again next year. However, he states that he prefers not to see too rapid a rise. According to Horsley, institutions and asset managers are currently in an interesting period to build up positions.

Ethereum co-founder Joseph Lubin goes one step further. According to him, the crypto winter has actually been over for quite some time. He points in particular to the role of Ethereum (ETH) as a neutral and censorship-proof infrastructure for the digital economy.

In addition, Lubin sees the growth of stablecoins and tokenized real-world assets as evidence that more and more financial activity is shifting towards DeFi and blockchain infrastructure.

Both directors also remain relatively relaxed in the area of regulation. Although the Clarity Act did not progress in the US Senate for the time being, Horsley hardly sees any customers postponing their plans.

Lubin also expects the sec and CFTC to provide more clarity through existing regulations.

Bitcoin, meanwhile, is trading around $83,000, still about 34 percent below the October 2025 record. It is precisely this difference between course and fundamental development that makes their message interesting.

The market may not look euphoric yet, but below the surface the sector is already much stronger than during the previous downturn, according to them.